Cornerstone
by Alga
Summary: There was a little episode that took place when Prince Charming pretended to be Shrek... A little episode that Fiona never talked about with the real Shrek. An episode that had long-term after-effects. Now there's hell to pay. Or is there?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **if you recognize something, it's property of the muse of clichés or those people who own _Shrek_. Everything you don't recognize is mine.

**Author's note** for those of you who like the traditional Arthurian cycle, that is, non-Shrek stories about king Arthur and his knights, Merlin, etc.: I like it too, but am not going to follow the cycle to a T. Who knows, maybe crosses fingers and searches for a shooting star that will improve the story. wicked grin

**Prologue**

- Fiona, darling, could you please come over here…

If the voice of ex-queen of Far Far Away was anything to judge by, the children succeeded in tiring their Granny out for a week to come; think what it'll be like when she, Shrek and the toddlers finally leave for their swamp: now was only their _second_ day here on a visit. And her mother Lillian kept any sanity that far by sheer luck only. Got to go and save the day! Fiona smiled, closed her book and left it on the side table at her favorite window overlooking the kingdom. When she was a little girl, oh, how many hours were spent here; now, prop the dress – and step into the kid world.

- Yes, mom, I'm coming! Hold on for one more minute and I'll take over from there!

It took her a bit more than 60 seconds, perhaps, but who could blame the young mother of three charming little… ogres. The children loved her or Granny to read them a storybook or two, but the royal library was Fiona's safe heaven, off-limits territory for her brood without adult supervision. _Funny thing, the princess mused as she neared the door, and I thought I'd never dare to enter this place after…_ _after_ that _day_. She momentarily flinched and shook her head, clearing out the memories; still, when princess Fiona pulled the door by its handle to leave her favorite room in the whole castle to go and tend to the family, she couldn't help stealing a quick glance at one particular corner that could be seen through a narrow gap right between the bookshelves if you knew where to look.

It was a common, simple corner where two walls meet, just like the rest of them here in the library. She closed the door and sighed, realizing that the picture was still too fresh in her memory. Yeah, just a quiet edge of the room, keep telling yourself that, Fiona. Nobody had to find out. For her, it was enough that she knew, and couldn't, _wouldn't_ forget. Like a nightmare honeyed by something extremely dangerous yet tempting. An experience of ambiguous nature, and in the end– she won't admit it, however true that was – a bittersweet and cherished moment to keep stored somewhere almost forever, wrapped into layers and layers of other, proper memories in the back her mind. _Besides, I found a name for one of my sons just there. Surely the place served at least some good._ Right, secrets and faded manuscripts. It was a _library_ for God's sake! Fiona chuckled, walking down Far Far Away palace corridors to the nursery. Just a corner? Ha! Nothing like the other corners here. Or anywhere else for that matter.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **see in prologue.

**Chapter 1**

…Finally, after one prominent bath, one almost eaten bar of soap, and one very wet mother and soaked-through granny later the children were tucked in. Both women heaved a sigh of relief as they watched their little green angels falling asleep in the specially-made, ogre-sized bed. And then, without another word or signal, they burst into soft chuckles. A wringing-wet ogress and her mother alike tried to muffle the sound with just as wet towels, but the giggle fought back and threatened to escape, increasing ten-fold as it progressed. The children slept on, blissfully unaware of the whole commotion.

- Honestly, mom… – Fiona was wiping away the tears of laughter from her cheeks by now. – When little Lillian took hold of that soap… I thought that…

- Come, Fiona. Shall we? – The elder of two Lillians motioned for the door, her face red with laughter. – You know, kids outdid themselves today; I think we have almost two hours until they decide nap time's done and come looking for us all over the castle. So let's take a break while we can.

Fiona nodded.

- Break sounds good. Library or the park?

The former queen of Far Far Away sighed again.

- Oh, I can't even dream of strolling down the alleys, our bundles of joy made me chase them at the palace grounds all morning, sweetie. Not to mention playing hide-and-seek there.

- Then library it is, mom. – Young ogress took her by the hand. – Come on, lean on me… I'll summon the maids to bring us a bite and some tea when we'll get there.

- With marmalade and cookies?

There was a childish excitement in her mother's voice as she spoke. Well, women of their family _did _have one BIG sweet tooth, if not a mouthful of them…

- Of course mom. – Fiona smiled, pushing the nursery door open with one shoulder and supporting ex-queen with the other. – We'll have both, if you like. And a good girl-talk session to make everything taste even better.

***

…As far as they could both recall, tea and sweet things that came with it never tasted better. Twenty minutes into their improvised tea party – and voilà! What a nice cup of hot Earl Grey can do to one's mood and energy level! Indeed, if there is pure…

- …Magic, Fiona. That's what it is. I told you so before and I am repeating the same now: three things are wondrous in the world. A marriage filled with sense of _home_, a true love's first kiss, and a cup of tea when you badly need it. – Lillian the big one as everyone called her these days (for her granddaughter was still quite small, even by human standards, at least age-wise) stretched with delight and took another sip, all traces of being worked to death by baby-sitting almost gone.

- Mhm! – Fiona nodded with all the enthusiasm she could master with her mouth full. All of a sudden, she gave out a hearty belch – Sorry, mom.

- Oh, darling, as Shrek puts it, better out than in. I cannot disagree with my son-in-law on a sensible matter like this. Don't you think so too?

Fiona gave a nod, looking at this almost care-free widow beside her. _Oh, mom…_ Little imps were dancing in the woman's eyes. She suddenly looked so much younger… They set in companionable silence, enjoying the moment; and the youngest of the two felt strangely placid just then, looking at her mother, so relaxed, so… serene, even, but, she knew it, all ready to sprint up and cry _Tag, you lead! _or something just as childish… As if they went back in time together, and Fiona herself was only ten again and they sat here at her favorite window over their daily five o'clock.

Before the tower.

Before Shrek.

Before everything and everyone… _else._ Princess Fiona tensed. Queen mother smiled at her over the heart-shaped tea cup. A stray spot of sunlight ran across the table and vanished into the shadow their teapot was casting on the table-cloth. _Flick. _The moment was gone.

- Fiona?

At least, the _companionable_, the nice-to-say-nothing-and-just-sit-together-drinking-tea part of it. The library floor became so fascinating all of a sudden, in that quietness that had turned so heavy in the air of the room…

- Darling, are you O.K.?

And right then princess Fiona realized she's been sitting with her own heart-shaped cup in mid-air, staring into space for a while.

Correction: with her eyes set at one part of space in particular – at _the _corner. No way she's going to question… but hey, why ever not? _There's absolutely nothing to lose, oh Fiona, and a whole new shiny world to gain._ Almost four years ago, he told her that, tucking a stray lock of red hair behind her left ear with an expression that spoke those proverbial volumes, and then they resumed the kiss, their collective breath gaspy and uneven, and a nagging fraction of her brain registered that it was uncommon of her husband to talk this way, really, when and where the man, er, the ogre-turned-man could've learnt to speak like a well-bread guy with a romantic streak – that was beyond her… but, in all truth, Fiona was trembling all over with delight and desire and God knows what else when he fumbled with her hair, so gently, teasingly even, and she was not really thinking about Shrek's vocabulary when he… when her… And just as honestly, even though she learnt at the ball on the very same evening that it wasn't him there with her after all, in that fateful library corner, the memory of it all did not repulse her, even though she knew it should.

Had to.

But – and that was the worst part – it simply _didn't_. And then there was this other, probably the worst thing altogether, the very _fact_ of reality, that now she had to live with her unwanted knowledge of their little tête-a-tête… it…really happening.

Eyes of the man that was not her rightfully wed husband, so close, so inviting…

Pleasantly ticklish feel of his mane of hair as her fingertips were running through it…

His strong hands around her, so real, so impossibly human…

Forgive me, o Heavenly Father, for I have sinned. Not that she was particularly into church going before… not that she had an instant attack of piety just after the occasion either…

_Yeah, riiight._

Easier held up to shame than acknowledged as meriting the eternal damnation in her own mind, with one hand placed on the Scripture and the other held close to her adulterous heart.

Not that princess Fiona was about to inform all and sundry about that. However, she wanted to ask something of her mother, sinful memories of almost four years' worth aside.

_Well, here it goes…_

- Mom, can I ask you something… about this castle?

That was unexpected. Surely, something was on her little (well, not exactly little…) girl's mind, a mother can always tell, something that troubled her child. But the castle? Queen mother let the cookies be, and glanced up at her daughter fidgeting right across the small table.

- Of course, Fiona. I'll try to answer to the best of my knowledge. Shoot.

- Who… – The ogress hesitated again, as if trying to find exactly those words she need right now. – Who lived here before us?

- You know, Fiona, I don't really know… – She started, and stopped instantly, for some vital reason left unspoken it saddened and alarmed her dearest princess beyond reason: she even _cracked _her tea-cup. The ex-queen frowned a bit and reached for the cookie jar to boost memory with its contents. She felt there was a reason to remember, if only to give Fiona some peace of mind. – Oh, let me think, honey… There had to be someone… oh, yes. That local noble family, the Cornwalls. – At that, her little girl visibly perked up, and Lillian continued. – I'm not sure they were royalty, but the castle and the grounds as far as my brother's furthest liegeman land border were theirs, yes… And they were very cooperative when it came to foreign policy on your uncle Ambrosias' and later uncle Uther's part, I believe. You know, this Cornwall family was not exactly that of vassal type to either of my royal brothers, but they indeed happened to be fairly nice people to have for neighbors when it came to war and trade. Actually, more trade than war.

The young ogress frowned a bit at that.

- What is it, Fiona?

- Something's not quite right, mom! If Lord Cornwall and his wife and, I assume, their children lived here – then how come they do not any more, and _you_ somehow turned into a local queen?

- Oh, that… To be completely honest, I don't really know, sweetie. One moment there were the Cornwalls, coat of arms and all – and the next thing I remember, Uther brought me here to represent him and the Empire Brittanica – and here I were, still unmarried, but already a queen of the good kingdom of Far Far Away.

- Please, mom, there had to be some reason! Noble or not, but whole families don't just vanish into thin air. Surely, you wondered about whys and maybes yourself!

Queen mother shook her head, her voice growing bitter.

- Even if I did, Fiona… Of course, I was very suspicious of Uther and this overnight promotion he gave me, who wouldn't be! But you have to understand this: I was thirty-five then. And single. And with absolutely no support at any of the royal courts available at the time. And knowing my king of a brother, well… If people like him grow generous all of a sudden, it's better to take the gift and not even dream of looking the gift-horse in the mouth. Because it may very well turn into your last present in this lifetime.

Fiona's eyes grew wide.

- He wouldn't, surely!.. Not to you!

- Possibly not. I did not wish to find out. My dearest brother chose correct! Being promoted to queen of a small kingdom was enough to make me quiet and nicely shut up, keeping whatever ideas I might have had to myself. Though I swear, Fiona, I couldn't sleep properly here and felt tempted to run away from this place more then once. Still do.

Lillian sighed heavily, and then suddenly rose to her feet and turned to go. Fiona rushed after her, the tea forgotten.

- Mom, I didn't mean to… I'm sorry!

The ex-queen paused on her way. Patted her daughter on the shoulder, gently.

- Don't be. Just do me a favor, or rather a couple of them, will you?

- Anything, mom!

- Alright, dear. Favor number one: promise to never ask me about the Cornwall family again.

- I promise. – Fiona was looking down at her feet. – And the other favor?

- Pray for them, at least once in a while, Fiona. They were good people, the Cornwalls.

Lillian swiftly put her hand on the library door knob, and before Princess Fiona knew it, her mother was gone.


End file.
